7 Expert Cover Letter Tips to Get the Job




Madeline Mann, Director of People Operations at Gem HQ, says cover letters are crucial if you’re applying for a position at a small-to-medium company: “For us little guys -- the companies who hire dozens instead of hundreds; the start-ups looking to change the world with team members who are equal parts talented and passionate; the tribes where each new person immediately sends ripples through the culture -- we read every cover letter, and make our interview decisions based on them.”






1. Address the hiring manager personally.



  • Email or call the company, and ask who is hiring for position X.






Claire McCarthy seconds Lees’ point, explaining that as a recruiter, she already knows you want the job -- it’s why you applied, isn’t it? She urges candidates to instead use the introduction as space to explain why you’re qualified.



3. Address gaps in your resume -- or risk seeming suspicious.

No one has a completely linear career path. Most employers won't fault you for having career setbacks or gaps, but it’ll look suspicious if you’ve got a full six-months unemployment on your resume and can't explain it.



It’s likely if you don’t address it, a recruiter is going to be skeptical of your work ethic. It’s important you explain what you learned or how you pursued professional growth during an unemployment period. If you took off time to travel after college, you don’t have to hide it -- own up to your own life story and explain how the opportunity to travel positioned you to be more successful, long-term.



  1. Can he or she do this job?
  2. Do we like him or her?
  3. Do we think he or she is going to fit around here?


First, do extensive research on the company's culture. In your cover letter, you want to try to match their tone -- do they come across as goofy, relaxed, fast-paced, or conservative?



Answering Foss’s question two -- whether you’re likeable -- is harder to address. It’s often difficult to come across as likeable through digital correspondence, but you want to be authentic and use friendly and respectful phrases.


5. Don’t waste time repeating the contents of your resume.

Wasting a recruiter’s time by repeating information already on your resume is an easy way to lose their interest -- plus, it’s depleting space you could be using to convince them you’re the most qualified candidate.





6. Prove your values and passions align with the company’s.

Passion is a major indicator of success, as well as long-term company loyalty. It’s often challenging to display passion in the rigid format of a resume, so your cover letter is a good opportunity to show your excitement for the position.

Madeline Mann, Director of People Operations at Gem HQ, says: “The other important ‘why’ in the cover letter is, ‘Why this company?’ It is a huge bonus in the cover letter if there is any mention of geeking out on our technology, cultural tenets, or our mission. These candidates are the ones who understand, at least on a basic level, what we are building and why it is important, and are enthusiastic about it. This gives them an edge because our small start up runs on passion and thirst for knowledge -- if you don't get excited about complex bleeding edge technology then you won't have nearly as much fun as everyone else.”

The easiest way to prove your ability to do a good job, apart from writing a list of skills, is to show recruiters you understand the company’s bottom line and crave the opportunity to help drive success. This is more convincing if your values align with the company’s, or if you care deeply about the company’s overarching goals.

7. End with your elevator pitch.

To write your closing statement, Claire McCarthy recommends thinking of yourself as a lawyer: “You're making a case as to why you are a qualified candidate for this position, and why the recruiter should move you forward. What's your value prop? What will you bring to the table, and what's going to set you apart from the pack?”

This is your chance to dig into skills or experiences that might not be obvious from your resume. With your closing statement, you want to speak confidently about how you envision your future at the company and in the position to which you’re applying. This is an opportunity to paint a picture to show the recruiter the connection between your past success at Company Y and your likely future success at her company.

Be blunt. Claire recommends saying something like this: "As the most junior rep at my Boston-based company, I worked West Coast hours and hit 125% of my annual quota in 2017, and plan to take this track record of success, and commitment to my craft to Company X’s sales team."

Essentially, your closing statement should be your elevator pitch for why you’re best suited for the role. Take all your prior experiences and relate them in a convincing argument for how you’ll succeed next.

via Business Feeds

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